Ingredients:
- 1 kg (2 lb) beef chuck, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 large potatoes (red or Yukon Gold), diced 2 cm
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 250 ml (1 cup) dry red wine
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups beef broth (low‑sodium)
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp onion soup mix
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp cold water
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (or butter) for browning
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium‑high. Add beef in single layers; brown on all sides, about 5 min. Note: Keep heat high to lock in flavor.
- Transfer the browned cubes to the crock pot.
- Layer carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and garlic over the meat.
- Deglaze the skillet with 250 ml wine, scraping up brown bits.
- Add wine, tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire, onion soup mix, and bay leaves to the cooker. Stir until blended.
- Cover and set the slow cooker to low for 8 hrs (or high for 4 hrs). The long, steady heat breaks down collagen, making the beef fork‑tender.
- If desired, whisk cornstarch with 3 Tbsp cold water to make a slurry. Stir into the stew and cook on low for an additional 10–15 min to thicken.
- Remove bay leaves, taste, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley or a squeeze of lemon. Precision Checkpoint 1: After 8 hrs low, the meat should be “melting” with a fork. Precision Checkpoint 2: The broth should have a slightly thickened coat when spooned back. Precision Checkpoint 3: The slurry should give a velvety finish, not a gritty one. My GoTo Sheet Pan Turkey Meatloaf and Roasted Broccoli Weeknight Classic — Sheet Pan Turkey Meatloaf and roasted broccoli a juicy lowfat onepan supper w...Best Slow Cooker Pot Roast Classic ForkTender Recipe — The perfect easy Beef Pot Roast Crock Pot recipe Our slow cooker pot roast st...Slow Cooked Corned Beef Recipe: An Irish-American Classic! — This Corned Beef Recipe isn't boiled to death! Slow-cooked with brown sugar f... $img_2$